Cruz hits 20th homer in O's win at Houston

Baltimore improves to 27-27 on season

Nelson Cruz hit his major league-leading 20th home run and drove in three runs to back a solid start by Chris Tillman, and the Baltimore Orioles snapped a four-game skid with a 4-1 win over the Houston Astros on Saturday.

Tillman (5-2) allowed one run on four hits over 6 2/3 innings to bounce back after allowing 14 runs combined in his last two starts. Zach Britton pitched a scoreless ninth for his fourth save.

The Orioles took the lead when Dallas Keuchel (6-3) walked home two runs in the fifth and Cruz extended the lead to 4-1 with his solo shot to left-center off Jerome Williams in the eighth.

Cruz's 52 RBIs lead the majors and are the most in team history at the end of May, surpassing the 50 RBIs Chris Davis had entering June last year.

Cruz, who also doubled on Saturday, has a 12-game hitting streak with six doubles, eight homers and 15 RBIs in that span.

Keuchel allowed six hits and three runs with three walks in six innings to end a four-game winning streak. He was done in by his lack of control on Saturday after walking just one batter in his previous four starts combined. Keuchel was coming off two stellar outings where he posted a 1.02 ERA and was named AL player of the week.

Manny Machado singled off Keuchel with one out in the fifth before a two-out single by Caleb Joseph. Nick Markakis walked to load the bases before the Orioles took the lead on a walk by Steve Pearce. A third straight walk -- this one by Cruz -- scored another run to push the lead to 3-1.

Keuchel took Adam Jones to a full count before striking him out to end the inning.

Markakis hit a leadoff double and scored on a sacrifice fly by Cruz with one out to put Baltimore up early.

Jason Castro doubled with no outs in the second inning before Tillman plunked two of the next three batters to load the bases with one out. Robbie Grossman singled on a dribbler down the right field line to tie it at 1-1.